Safety-trip for hanging harness



(No Model.)

T. H. WATERHOUSB. SAFETY TRIP FOR HANGING HARNESS.

No. 585,415. Patented June 29, 1897.

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PATENT TITUS II. IVATERHOUSE, OF ROCHESTER, NEWV YORK.

SAFETY-TRIP FOR HANGING HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,415, dated June 29,1897. Application filed September 12, 1896. Serial No. 605,621. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, TITUS H. WATERHOUSE, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residin g at Rochester, in the county of Monroe, in the State ofNew York, have invented an Improvement in Safety-Trips for HangingHarness, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improved safetytrip for hanging harness,which improvement is fully described and illustrated in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings,the novel features thereofbeing specified in the claim annexed to the said specification.

In the accompanying drawings, representing my improvement, Figure 1 is aside elevation showing my improved safety -trip engaged with a ring orhoop attached to the harness. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, showingthe latch open. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same,showing the manner of tripping the latch. Fig. 4 is a section on theline t at, Fig. 3, showing the parts below that line.

The operation of my improved safety-trip will be understood from theaccompanying drawings when it is stated that it consists, essentially,of the suspended slotted body A, the pivoted hook or latch B, and thetrippingring 0, and that the harness, which normally hangs on the hookof the latch, is released by a pull on the strap or cord D, which swingsthe latch into the position indicated in Fig. 3, so that the ring 0 isdisengaged from the latch, and the harness is then allowed to freeitself from the hook. The body A of the trip is slotted to receive thelatch B, which is pivoted at F, so that it may swing freely in the slot.The body A is also preferably perforated, with a tapering hole, asindicated in Fig. 3, to receive the suspending rope or cord E, which isfastened to the body by the insertion of the screw I-I, Fig. 3, suitablechannels I I being made in the inner faces of the slot in the body topermit the insertion of the screw. In my ordinary practice the rope Epasses over suitable pulleys and is counterweighted, so that the harnessor that portion of it which is supported by any particular trip may beraised or lowered. The rope E may, however, be attached to any suitablesupport. The harness is attached in any preferred way to a suitable ringor hook J,which normally hangs upon the lower hook-shaped portion of thelatch and is sustained thereby so long as the tripping-ring O isinterposed between the lug Lon the latch and the body A. A pull on thestrapor cord D causes the ring 0 to swing the latch on its pivot, asindicated in Fig. 3, until the ring 0 is disengaged from the lug L, andthen the weight or any motion of the harness will disengage thesuspension-ring J from the latch, its hooked portion swinging outward,as represented in Fig. 2. The surface of the lug L is preferably beveledupward and outward, as indicated in the drawings. When the harness hangson the hook, the tripping-ring (l is held in contact with the body A bythe lug L and acts as a stop to prevent the lug end of the latch beingthrown past the body by the load on the hook, which load would otherwiseturn the latch and slip off the hook. Normally the loaded hook is heldaway from the body, as shown, so that a pull on the lug by means of thetripping-ring O can raise the load until the lock is stopped by the bodyor until the lug is so far turned that the ring 0 or the like will slipfrom it and permit the latch to freely return and discharge its load.The harness can thus be disengaged from the latch by pulling the ring 0outward, as indicated in Fig. 3. The lower end of the latch is given asuitable hook shape, as indicated at N, being bent upward and inwardunder the body in a form adapted to engage with and retain thesuspension-r111 g until the latch is tripped, as already described.

My improved safety'trip is designed especiall y for use in connectionwith fire-engines, patrol-wagons, ambulances, or other vehicles where itis required to start immediately on call by signal or telephone, but itis capable of being employed in other situations.

In the application of my invention to the harness of fire-engine horsesor police-patrol horses, the. ,the harness is normally suspended fromthe ring J, its Weight serving to press the lug L on the latch againstthe body A, with the tripping-ring O interposed. the receipt of an alarmor call the horses take their places, the harness is drawn down andsecured in place, and the driver, when notified that the horse or horsesare ready, by a pull on the reins, to which the strap or straps Upon 2 Dare attached, releases the suspension-ring from the hook N of the latch,and the vehicle is ready to start.

My improved trip is cheap and durable in construction and entirely safeand reliable in practical operation. It is entirely free from springs orother devices which may become deranged or fail to work and has provedpractical and useful on extended trial lasting over a considerableperiod of time.

I claim- In a device for suspending harness or the 5 like, a suspendingbody A, a latch B having a hook and lug on opposite ends, anintermediate pivot, and a tripping device normally situated between thelug and body and acting as a stop to the lug end of the latch andadapted to turn the latch on its pivot and raise the object or load topermit the automatic disengagement both of the tripping device and ofthe load substantially as described.

TITUS I-I. WATERHOUSE. Witnesses:

O. G. ORANNELL, GEO. B. SELDEN.

